1,025 research outputs found
Про підготовку навчального посібника з краєзнавства для вищих навчальних закладів України
У статті обґрунтовується необхідність підготовки навчального посібника з національного краєзнавства для вищих навчальних закладів України, висвітлено стан його підготовки, концепція та окремі, найбільш важливі і дискусійні аспекти змісту майбутнього посібника.В статье обосновывается необходимость подготовки учебного пособия по национальному краеведению для высших учебных заведений Украины, показана степень его подготовки, концепция и отдельные, наиболее важные и дискуссионные аспекты будущего учебника.In the article the necessity of preparation of the tutorial of local history for higher educational establishments in Ukraine is settled down, the state of its preparation, conception and particular, most essential and debatable aspects of the content of the manual are covered
A Potent Tartrate Resistant Acid Phosphatase Inhibitor to Study the Function of TRAP in Alveolar Macrophages.
The enzyme tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP, two isoforms 5a and 5b) is highly expressed in alveolar macrophages, but its function there is unclear and potent selective inhibitors of TRAP are required to assess functional aspects of the protein. We found higher TRAP activity/expression in lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma compared to controls and more TRAP activity in lungs of mice with experimental COPD or asthma. Stimuli related to asthma and/or COPD were tested for their capacity to induce TRAP. Receptor activator of NF-κb ligand (RANKL) and Xanthine/Xanthine Oxidase induced TRAP mRNA expression in mouse macrophages, but only RANKL also induced TRAP activity in mouse lung slices. Several Au(III) coordination compounds were tested for their ability to inhibit TRAP activity and [Au(4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine)Cl2][PF6] (AubipyOMe) was found to be the most potent inhibitor of TRAP5a and 5b activity reported to date (IC50 1.3 and 1.8 μM respectively). AubipyOMe also inhibited TRAP activity in murine macrophage and human lung tissue extracts. In a functional assay with physiological TRAP substrate osteopontin, AubipyOMe inhibited mouse macrophage migration over osteopontin-coated membranes. In conclusion, higher TRAP expression/activity are associated with COPD and asthma and TRAP is involved in regulating macrophage migration
Lung eQTLs to Help Reveal the Molecular Underpinnings of Asthma
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified loci reproducibly associated with pulmonary diseases; however, the molecular mechanism underlying these associations are largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to discover genetic variants affecting gene expression in human lung tissue, to refine susceptibility loci for asthma identified in GWAS studies, and to use the genetics of gene expression and network analyses to find key molecular drivers of asthma. We performed a genome-wide search for expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) in 1,111 human lung samples. The lung eQTL dataset was then used to inform asthma genetic studies reported in the literature. The top ranked lung eQTLs were integrated with the GWAS on asthma reported by the GABRIEL consortium to generate a Bayesian gene expression network for discovery of novel molecular pathways underpinning asthma. We detected 17,178 cis- and 593 trans- lung eQTLs, which can be used to explore the functional consequences of loci associated with lung diseases and traits. Some strong eQTLs are also asthma susceptibility loci. For example, rs3859192 on chr17q21 is robustly associated with the mRNA levels of GSDMA (P = 3.55 × 10(-151)). The genetic-gene expression network identified the SOCS3 pathway as one of the key drivers of asthma. The eQTLs and gene networks identified in this study are powerful tools for elucidating the causal mechanisms underlying pulmonary disease. This data resource offers much-needed support to pinpoint the causal genes and characterize the molecular function of gene variants associated with lung diseases
Mouse Protocadherin-1 gene expression is regulated by cigarette smoke exposure in vivo
Protocadherin-1 (PCDH1) is a novel susceptibility gene for airway hyperresponsiveness, first identified in families exposed to cigarette smoke and is expressed in bronchial epithelial cells. Here, we asked how mouse Pcdh1 expression is regulated in lung structural cells in vivo under physiological conditions, and in both short-term cigarette smoke exposure models characterized by airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness and chronic cigarette smoke exposure models. Pcdh1 gene-structure was investigated by Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends. Pcdh1 mRNA and protein expression was investigated by qRT-PCR, western blotting using isoform-specific antibodies. We observed 87% conservation of the Pcdh1 nucleotide sequence, and 96% conservation of the Pcdh1 protein sequence between men and mice. We identified a novel Pcdh1 isoform encoding only the intracellular signalling motifs. Cigarette smoke exposure for 4 consecutive days markedly reduced Pcdh1 mRNA expression in lung tissue (3 to 4-fold), while neutrophilia and airway hyperresponsiveness was induced. Moreover, Pcdh1 mRNA expression in lung tissue was reduced already 6 hours after an acute cigarette-smoke exposure in mice. Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke induced loss of Pcdh1 protein in lung tissue after 2 months, while Pcdh1 protein levels were no longer reduced after 9 months of cigarette smoke exposure. We conclude that Pcdh1 is highly homologous to human PCDH1, encodes two transmembrane proteins and one intracellular protein, and is regulated by cigarette smoke exposure in vivo
An Amidinate Ligand with a Pendant Amine Functionality; Synthesis of a Vanadium(III) Complex and Ethene Polymerization Catalysis[#]
The Stress of Lung Aging:Endoplasmic Reticulum and Senescence Tete-a-Tete
Beyond the structural changes, features including the dysregulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and increased senescence characterize the lung aging. ER stress response and senescence have been reported to be induced by factors like cigarette smoke. Therefore, deciphering the mechanisms underlying ER and senescent pathways interaction has become a challenge. In this review we highlight the known and unknown regarding ER stress response and senescence and their cross talk in aged lung
Characterization of NF-κB reporter U937 cells and their application for the detection of inflammatory immune-complexes
Our study tested the hypothesis that immunoglobulins differ in their ability to activate the nuclear factor-κB pathway mediated cellular responses. These responses are modulated by several properties of the immune complex, including the ratio of antibody isotypes binding to antigen. Immunoassays allow the measurement of antigen specific antibodies belonging to distinct immunoglobulin classes and subclasses but not the net biological effect of the combination of these antibodies. We set out to develop a biosensor that is suitable for the detection and characterization of antigen specific serum antibodies. We genetically modified the monocytoid U937 cell line carrying Fc receptors with a plasmid encoding NF-κB promoter-driven GFP. This clone, U937-NF-κB, was characterized with respect to FcR expression and response to solid-phase immunoglobulins. Human IgG3, IgG4 and IgG1 induced GFP production in a time- and dose-dependent manner, in this order of efficacy, while IgG2 triggered no activation at the concentrations tested. IgA elicited no response alone but showed significant synergism with IgG3 and IgG4. We confirmed the importance of activation via FcγRI by direct stimulation with monoclonal antibody and by competition assays. We used citrullinated peptides and serum from rheumatoid arthritis patients to generate immune complexes and to study the activation of U937-NF-κB, observing again a synergistic effect between IgG and IgA. Our results show that immunoglobulins have distinct pro-inflammatory potential, and that U937-NF-κB is suitable for the estimation of biological effects of immune-complexes, offering insight into monocyte activation and pathogenesis of antibody mediated diseases
Dyskinesia Impairment Scale scores in Dutch pre-school children after neonatal therapeutic hypothermia
BACKGROUND: Neonatal therapeutic hypothermia (TH) can ameliorate or prevent the development of dyskinetic cerebral palsy (CP) after hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The Dyskinesia Impairment Scale (DIS) was recently launched to quantify dyskinetic (dystonic and choreatic) motor features in patients with CP. In TH treated children, who are at risk of developing dyskinetic CP, we aimed to determine DIS-scores at pre-school age. METHOD: In 21 Dutch pre-school children (3-6 years of age) who had received TH according to the Dutch-Flemish treatment protocol, we determined DIS-scores. We associated DIS-scores with 1. age-matched control values (Kuiper et al., 2018) [1], and 2. previously reported DIS-score range in dyskinetic CP (Monbaliu E et al., 2015). RESULTS: The motor phenotype was determined as: normal (n = 18/21), mildly impaired (reduced coordination (n = 2/21)) and abnormal (dyskinetic CP; n = 1/21). In absence of CP (n = 20/21), DIS-scores were lower (more favorable) than in dyskinetic CP, without any overlapping group scores (mean difference: 71 points; p < .05). However, the obtained DIS-scores were still higher than previously reported in healthy age-matched controls (mean difference: 14 points; p < .05). There was an association between DIS-scores and retrospective neonatal MRI (basal ganglia and thalamus injury on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)) and (a)EEG parameters (p < .05). CONCLUSION: In the vast majority (95%) of Dutch TH-HIE treated pre-school children, the phenotypic motor outcome was favorable. However, DIS-scores were moderately increased compared with healthy age-matched controls. Future studies may elucidate the significance of moderately increased DIS-scores should to further extent
COPD-derived fibroblasts secrete higher levels of senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins.
COPD-derived fibroblasts have increased cellular senescence. Senescent cell accumulation can induce tissue dysfunction by their senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). We aimed to determine the SASP of senescent fibroblasts and COPD-derived lung fibroblasts, including severe, early-onset (SEO)-COPD. SASP protein secretion was measured after paraquat-induced senescence in lung fibroblasts using Olink Proteomics and compared between (SEO-)COPD-derived and control-derived fibroblasts. We identified 124 SASP proteins of senescent lung fibroblasts, of which 42 were secreted at higher levels by COPD-derived fibroblasts and 35 by SEO-COPD-derived fibroblasts compared with controls. Interestingly, the (SEO-)COPD-associated SASP included proteins involved in chronic inflammation, which may contribute to (SEO-)COPD pathogenesis
Amino-acid PET versus MRI guided re-irradiation in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GLIAA) – protocol of a randomized phase II trial (NOA 10/ARO 2013-1)
Background: The higher specificity of amino-acid positron emission tomography (AA-PET) in the diagnosis of gliomas, as well as in the differentiation between recurrence and treatment-related alterations, in comparison to contrast enhancement in T1-weighted MRI was demonstrated in many studies and is the rationale for their implementation into radiation oncology treatment planning. Several clinical trials have demonstrated the significant differences between AA-PET and standard MRI concerning the definition of the gross tumor volume (GTV). A small single-center non-randomized prospective study in patients with recurrent high grade gliomas treated with stereotactic fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) showed a significant improvement in survival when AA-PET was integrated in target volume delineation, in comparison to patients treated based on CT/MRI alone. Methods: This protocol describes a prospective, open label, randomized, multi-center phase II trial designed to test if radiotherapy target volume delineation based on FET-PET leads to improvement in progression free survival (PFS) in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) treated with re-irradiation, compared to target volume delineation based on T1Gd-MRI. The target sample size is 200 randomized patients with a 1:1 allocation ratio to both arms. The primary endpoint (PFS) is determined by serial MRI scans, supplemented by AA-PET-scans and/or biopsy/surgery if suspicious of progression. Secondary endpoints include overall survival (OS), locally controlled survival (time to local progression or death), volumetric assessment of GTV delineated by either method, topography of progression in relation to MRIor PET-derived target volumes, rate of long term survivors (> 1 year), localization of necrosis after re-irradiation, quality of life (QoL) assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C15 PAL questionnaire, evaluation of safety of FET-application in AA-PET imaging and toxicity of re-irradiation. Discussion: This is a protocol of a randomized phase II trial designed to test a new strategy of radiotherapy target volume delineation for improving the outcome of patients with recurrent GBM. Moreover, the trial will help to develop a standardized methodology for the integration of AA-PET and other imaging biomarkers in radiation treatment planning. Trial registration: The GLIAA trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01252459, registration date 02.12.2010), German Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS00000634, registration date 10.10.2014), and European Clinical Trials Database (EudraCT-No. 2012-001121-27, registration date 27.02.2012)
- …
